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This Handbook is a state-of-the-art analysis of proximity relations, offering insights into its history alongside up-to-date scientific advances and emerging questions. Its broad scope – from industrial and innovation approaches through to society issues of living and working at a distance, territorial development and environmental topics – will ensure an in-depth focus point for researchers in economics as well as geography, organizational studies, planning and sociology. Split into four distinctly thematic parts, the Handbook explores the precise definition of proximity relationships and their diversity, including the role they play in social and economic interactions as well as examining the origins and evolution of such relationships. It further presents a detailed overview of the main methods of analysis, highlighting the link between proximity relationships and exchange of information while explaining how exchanges at a distance rely on links of organized proximity, something that plays an increasing role in our societies.This engaging Handbook will provide an excellent update for scientists and researchers on the recent developments in the analysis of proximity relations as well as students looking for precise and detailed information on the main characteristics of proximity relations, regional and spatial analysis, and the major analytical tools.

This thought-provoking book questions the framework of the Horizon 2020 strategy and the policies of smart development. It aims to answer the following question: Is there any possibility for a policy of smart development and smart specialization in rural and peri-urban areas? Based on detailed analytical studies, empirical and econometric methods, as well as various European case studies, several conclusions are drawn.Smart development policies are well adapted to the developed or intermediate regions containing at the same time rural and urban areas, but do not really function for the more rural or more peripheral regions. The development policies of rural areas must be adapted to their particular characteristics, to the structure of their economies (agriculture, small firms), as well as in their diversity (distant regions, intermediate regions, rural areas near the urban areas). It appears interesting to exploit natural and cultural amenities, to develop the multifunctional character of the agriculture, to promote territorial innovation under all its forms, to favor the synergies between the various uses of land and space, and to develop the knowledge on the ecological, socioeconomic processes, as well as on the mechanisms of territorial governance.These results are very important because they question the validity of the H2020 policy and the smart development and smart specialization policies and their applicability to the whole European area, and not only for the most urban and rich areas. It will be valuable reading for students, researchers and policy-makers in regional development, rural studies, spatial planning and economic geography.

The notion of proximity is increasing in popularity in economic and geographic literature, and is now commonly used by scholars in regional science and spatial economics. Few academic works, however, have explored the link between regional development and proximity relations. This comprehensive book redresses the balance with its assessment of the role of, and obstacles caused by, proximity relations in regional development processes.The expert contributors illustrate that the value of integrating proximity into the regional development analysis framework is due its plasticity and ability to draw connections between spatial, economic and social dimensions. Possible changes for regional and territorial policies are also an outcome of this integration. These areas are addressed via four main paradigms:Proximity and regional developmentSpatial innovation processesNetworks and proximity relationsPlace-based strategies and proximity relations.Students, academics, researchers and regional development practitioners with an interest in regional proximity will find this highly original book to be an illuminating read.Contributors: A. Bailly, P.A. Balland, H. Bathelt, R. Boschma, O. Bouba-Olga, R. Camagni, R. Capello, P. Cooke, T. Dogaru, M. Ferru, R.D. Fitjar, R. Gibson, M. Grossetti, P. Nijkamp, F. van Oort, A. Rodriguez-Pose, R.J. Stimson, M. Thissen, E. Tranos, A. Torre, F. Wallet, M. de Vaan